Description: Plants reach 30 cm in length, are epilithic, erect from a discoid holdfast, and consist of cartilaginous axes bearing varying numbers of cylindrical to once-constricted clavate branches. Most of the diameters of both axes and laterals is composed of filamentous medulla, the filaments being much more densely aggregated in the former. The cortex of the clavate laterals is shallow, with cells of the inner layers not being abruptly larger than those of subtending layers. Supporting cells are monocarpogonial, bear 3-celled carpogonial branches, and occur in sori at the apices of determinate laterals. Gonimoblasts develop inwardly and line a cavity bordered by nutritive filaments. Cystocarps are wholly embedded. Carposporangia form terminally and singly and escape through an ostiole formed by local breakdown of the cortex. Spermatangia are not known. Tetrasporangia are laterally attached to bearing cells, and dispersed across the outer cortex of the lateral branches (Kraft and Min-Thein, 1983).

Information contributed by: G.T. Kraft.
The most recent alteration to this page was made on 12 Sep 2009 by Stephen Cusack.

Comments: Distribution: Plants are recorded from 5-20 m depths, usually growing on limestone. The genus is virtually endemic to the state of Western Australia from the Geraldton region in the north to just across the south Australian border in the east.

Numbers of names and species: There is only one species or infraspecific name in the database at present, which has been flagged as accepted taxonomically on the basis of the listed literature under the species name. In some instances, opinions on taxonomic validity differ from author to author and users are encouraged to form their own opinion. AlgaeBase is a work in progress and should not be regarded as a definitive source only as a guide to the literature..

Names: ('C' indicates a name that is accepted taxonomically; 'S' a homotypic or heterotypic synonym; 'U' indicates a name of uncertain taxonomic status, but which has been subjected to some verification nomenclaturally; 'P' indicates a preliminary AlgaeBase entry that has not been subjected to any kind of verification. For more information on a species click on it to activate a link to the Species database):

Verification of data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.

Contributors
Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera,
organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA)
and intended to be published in CD format.
These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above.
The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.